BRINGING CIVILITY AND RESPECT BACK TO THE WORKPLACE

Social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like – as well as handheld devices, are part of our daily lives, says Brian C. Haggerty in PUT THAT CELL PHONE DOWN AND LOOK ME IN THE EYE:  Bringing Civility And Respect Back To The Workplace At ALL Levels Of Business.  But rather than foster human relationships, they are endangering them to the point that civility and respect are beginning to disappear from the fabric of daily life.

This is particularly the case for younger people, those who can’t remember a time before the dot-com era.  Haggerty, a businessman and former elected official, believes that in order to be successful in business and in life, young people need to learn the importance of good character, how to speak well and communicate effectively, and how to make a positive first impression with everyone they meet.  And those already in the workforce – including seasoned executives – often need to be reminded of basic etiquette as well.

The new generation of workers has become slavishly devoted to texting, tweeting, Instagramming, Facebooking, e-mailing, sharing, and uploading.  “While they are all quite adept at using emoticons and abbreviations in their mobile communications, they have lost the age-old art of personal, face-to-face communications,” Haggerty says.  “This generation must come to grips with knowing when they should and should not engage with the cyber world and when they should engage with real people.”

If one truly wants to stand out from the rest and be successful in business today, people skills need to be perfected.  It is people skills – the way one interacts with others and how each person is perceived – that will pave the road to success.

PUT THAT CELL PHONE DOWN AND LOOK ME IN THE EYE dispels the notion that intelligence, or even plain old hard work, will alone enable someone to stand out from the crowd.  While these are admirable traits, there are simply too many others who are just as smart and work just as hard.

What’s needed is character.  The essential traits of character include

·      Punctuality

·      Reliability

·      Humility

·      Kindness

·      Respect

·      Truthfulness

Character comes from within; it determines what someone stands for and informs all of his or her actions.  But outward appearance and presence is equally important, according to Haggerty, for it determines how the outside world will form the all-important first impression.

“A person of strong character already has the advantage over those who do not,” says Haggerty.  “But a person of strong character who also develops a great presence and presentation has an even greater advantage.”

Elements of presence covered in PUT THAT CELL PHONE DOWN AND LOOK ME IN THE EYE include Dress, Posture, Making an Entrance, The Handshake (strong and firm, but not overpowering), The Conversation (show an interest in the other person), Personal Space (respect it), and Body Language.  Haggerty’s book should be handed to every individual entering the workforce and should be placed on the desks of those in the C-suite to remind them that they too need to remember the basics of success.

Brian C. Haggerty is a businessman and former elected official who has the rare ability to teach, inform, and influence people while simultaneously making them laugh and boost their self-confidence.  A mentor, coach, educator, and professional speaker, he is determined to bring respect and civility back not only to the workplace, but also to schools around the country as well.  Please visit www.BrianHaggertySpeaks.com for more information.